Episode No. 11 recap: 'The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil'

After a brief recap of the previous week’s episode, it’s straight to business and UFC president Dana White’s self-proclaimed favorite part of the competition: The coaches’ challenge.

White takes coaches Wanderlei Silva and Vitor Belfort to a soccer field, where the coaches will each have 10 scoring chances from the penalty spot. The winner takes home R$45,000 (approximately $22,000). The winning team’s fighters will each score R$2,000 (approximately $980). White admits he knows nothing about soccer, so he brings in a few experts to help coach the coaches: Santos’ Paulo Henrique “Ganso” de Lima and former Palmeiras goalkeeper Marcos Roberto Silveira Reis.

During the warmups, it looks as if Belfort is going to hold a decided advantage. Silva admits he knows nothing about soccer, and his practice runs seem to suggest he’s telling the truth.

Silva wins the coin toss, and he decides to defend first. Despite the warmups, the two match each other shot for shot through five balls, each missing the first and fourth and settling at three goals a piece. The professionals can’t help but notice the teams’ unique celebrations, which include mock flying armbars.

Belfort grabs the lead in the seventh round, scoring his shot while Silva’s effort flies over the crossbar. Both make in round eight, but Belfort falters in round nine. Unfortunately for Silva and his team, “The Axe Murderer,” misses, too, keeping him down 6-5 as the 10th round opens. With a chance to clinch in the 10th, Belfort steps up and scores. The team celebrates, first lifting octagon girl Brittney Palmer into the air and then their coach.

After the fun, it’s time for business. There’s a semifinal fight between Team Wanderlei newcomer Sergio “Serginho” Moraes and Team Vitor’s Daniel Sarafian. A Fabio Gurgel student, Moraes receives praise for his jiu-jitsu game, which most believe is among the best not only on the show but in the world.

Meanwhile, Sarafian is praised by both coaches for his skill and courage, and Belfort believes he’s actually the favorite to win the season. His hard work is respected, and Belfort believes he has a future in the octagon. For his part, Sarafian says his interest is not just in earning a UFC contract. He wants to be a champion.

Sarafian’s strategy is easy to predict. He wants to make the fight a standup war and stay away from his opponent’s submission skills. Interestingly, both fighters say they’re fueled by the fact that they don’t need to win. They want to win.

Moraes comes in at 185.6 pounds, and Sarafian is 185.7. The fight is official, and the staredown is intense. The pair both grit their teeth as they stand nose-to-nose. Belfort pulls Sarafian away, and it’s the only reason they break their gaze.

At the house, the mood is light as the guys actually sing and play instruments, but the relationship is tense between former teammates Moraes and Sarafian. Most of the house believes the bout is a true 50-50 fight.

On fight day, onetime UFC middleweight challenger Demian Maia visits the gym. Sarafian is especially happy to see Maia, who trains him in Brazil. Maia actually dons a Team Vitor jersey in support of his student, and Silva takes a bit of exception. However, Maia doesn’t seem especially apologetic.

After the visit, it’s time to fight. Both fighters know it’s risky if they’re forced to compete in their opponent’s specialty, so dictating the fight’s location is going to be imperative.

Round 1 – As always, it’s referee Mario Yamasaki in charge. Sarafian tries to stay at range early, but Moraes gets inside on a clinch and nearly takes the fight to the floor. Sarafian pulls away, but Moraes actually lands the first significant punch with a crisp hook. Shortly after, Sarafian looks to kick, and Moraes easily grabs the legs brings the action to the mat. Sarafian scrambles to his feet, but Moraes refuses to release a bodylock. It’s a bit of a stalemate in the clinch, and Yamasaki pulls them apart at the halfway mark. On the restart, Sarafian looks a touch hesitant, but a front kick lands to the face. Moraes jumps in on a leg but can’t earn the takedown. Sarafian seems to gain confidence as he pulls away, and a flying knee lands flush on the chin. Moraes hits the deck, and Sarafian jumps in with hammerfists to seal the result. Stellar finish.
Daniel Sarafian def. Sergio Moraes via knockout (knee and punches) – Round 1

When Moraes comes to his senses, he breaks into tears. He’s not the only one. It’s an incredibly emotional scene, and the rawness of the reality is intense.

Moraes actually attends the ceremony where Sarafian’s photograph is moved into the finalist slot. It’s a fitting end for Moraes, who falls short against a former teammate, and everyone agrees that while Sarafian has a fantastic chance to go all the way, Moraes’ day may also come very soon.

Back at the house, the teams are starting to cut loose. Adult beverages are flowing freely. The house gets a little dirty, but otherwise it’s just a good-natured night of drunkenness.

Next episode’s fight will be Rony “Jason” Mariano Bezerra vs. Hugo “Wolverine” Viana to determine who faces Godofredo “Pepey” de Oliveira at UFC 147 in the final bout of the 145-pound tournament.

But before episode No. 11 ends, Anistavio “Gasparzinho” Medeiros becomes the center of attention. He’s up to his usual jokes, but Team Wanderlei decides they’re going to answer back. They’ve determined Medeiros has a fear of being tied up, so they decide to exploit it. they start by tying to a chair. As he freaks a bit, they bring him to the floor and tease him a bit more. It briefly turns bad, and Medeiros looks like he’s ready to assault everyone in the gym. Fortunately, he doesn’t, and things end peacefully.
(Pictured: Daniel Sarafian)

Catch new episodes of “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil” every Sunday at midnight ET/9 p.m. PT at en.TUF.tv at midnight ET/9 p.m. PT. MMAjunkie.com recaps each episode of the reality series, and additional series coverage can be found on “The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil” page.

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